This specification contains a microfiche appendix consisting of two microfiche sheets having 72 frames of computer program listings.
This invention relates generally to systems and methods for generating and transferring medical and other data. A specific implementation includes a remote heart monitoring method.
Many industries use real-time information, but the medical field is one in which such information is particularly critical. In hospitals, for example, patients may have their biological functions or conditions continuously monitored so that any significant change can be immediately detected and addressed by appropriate personnel. Such monitoring includes generating the information and transferring it to where it is to be used.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,255 to Albert et al. discloses transmitting medical data, for example, through a paging network to a pager receiver connected to a computer, such as a palmtop computer held by a physician. In one example, a patient is connected to an electrocardiogram (ECG) machine to generate ECG information that is processed and transmitted through the paging network to the receiver and attached computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,285 to Albert et al. discloses another communication system for conveying ECG data or other biomedical waveform data between a patient and an attending physician""s location. The patient employs a HEART CARD(trademark) device from Instromedix, Inc., or the like, which converts the patient""s ECG signal into a frequency modulated audio signal that may then be analyzed by audio inputting via a telephone system to a selected hand-held computer device with integrated microphone and audio system. The computer device functions to digitize, record and demodulate the frequency modulated signal for presentation and viewing on the hand-held computer. The audio signal can also be input directly into a personal computer (PC) via a standard personal computer microphone. The audio signal can be input directly into a PC through a phone line connection via a standard xe2x80x9cvoice-capablexe2x80x9d modem, for example. The stored ECG audio signal can be retransmitted via telephone, either wireline or wireless. At a receiving end, a programmed hand-held computer can be used to receive the audio FM biomedical signal for digitization, recording and demodulation for viewing. Such computer can be one with integrated microphone, audio analog to digital converter, digital to analog converter, speaker, and central processing unit with memory for performing various computational, data storage and signal processing tasks.
Despite previously disclosed or implemented systems, there is still the need for a novel and improved system and method for generating and transferring medical (or other) data, especially a system and method which enable a patient to communicate with a medical care provider in real time virtually from anywhere. Preferably such a system and method should be able to communicate globally, such as via the Internet. Such a system and method should be inexpensive, simple, and easy-to-use. This includes use of a computer without having to purchase or manually install a specialized computer application program or any special hardware. Such system and method should be relatively inexpensive both for the patient or other input user and the medical care provider or other recipient to use (e.g., minimal equipment requirements, no long distance telephone tolls). Such system and method should quickly (ideally, in real time) provide accurate data from the input user to the recipient.
The present invention meets the aforementioned needs by providing a novel and improved system and method for generating and transferring medical and other data. For example, the system and method permit the monitoring of biological functions and conditions of a plurality of patients and the reporting of the resulting data to respective medical care providers. In a particular implementation, the present invention provides for remote heart monitoring.
In a preferred embodiment, a device that can be manipulated by a patient senses some function or condition of the patient. One example is a small, inexpensive, hand-held heart monitor that a patient can hold against his or her chest; when used, the device outputs an audible signal responsive to the beating of the heart, such as the electrocardiogram. A computer that can be operated by the patient runs a program that processes an electric signal generated in response to the audible signal as received through a microphone connected to the computer. The computer can send resulting data signals over a computer communication network and preferably over a global communication network such as the Internet. Using a plurality of the foregoing components, any number of patients that can access the computer communication network can quickly, easily, inexpensively, and accurately provide real-time information about their personal medical condition to their personal medical care providers. The real-time information can also be used locally such as by the individual during exercise or simply while trying to monitor or modulate the sensed condition (e.g., to lower heart rate, blood pressure, or stress).
One definition of the system for generating and transferring medical data of the present invention comprises: means for sensing a biological function or condition; and means, communicating with the means for sensing, for transferring a response to the sensed biological function or condition over the Internet.
In accordance with another definition of the present invention, the system comprises a sensor used by a human user to sense a function or condition of the user""s body. It also comprises a personal computer located with the sensor. The personal computer has a microphone connector and analog to digital conversion means which are communicated with the sensor such that a digital processing circuit of the personal computer receives from the analog to digital conversion means a digital electric signal derived from an analog electric signal received through the microphone connector in response to the user""s body function or condition sensed by the sensor. The personal computer is programmed to transfer data representative of the received digital electric signal over a computer communication network contemporaneously with the sensor sensing the user""s body function or condition. This system can further comprise a recipient computer located at a medical facility and connected to communicate with the computer communication network, wherein the recipient computer is programmed to receive the data transferred over the computer communication network and to provide a visible representation of the sensed body function or condition and to store the data in a searchable database. The system can comprise a recipient computer located at a data communication service provider facility and connected to communicate with the computer communication network, wherein the recipient computer is programmed to receive the data transferred over the computer communication network and to transmit in response thereto another signal to an end user.
Still another definition of the present invention for a system for generating and transferring medical data comprises: a sensor to provide an acoustical signal in simultaneous response to a biological function or condition; a microphone, located with the sensor, to receive the acoustical signal as the acoustical signal is provided from the sensor; and a computer connected to the microphone and adapted to transfer over the Internet, in real-time response to the microphone receiving the acoustical signal, electric signals representative of the received acoustical signal. In one embodiment the computer includes a personal computer programmed with a web browser and a medical data acquisition and transmission program. The medical data acquisition and transmission program can be downloaded from an Internet site accessed using the web browser.
The system of the present invention can also be defined without limitation as to type of data, such as to comprise: a plurality of initial user sites, each of the initial user sites having a data generating source and a computer connected to receive signals from the data generating source and to access the Internet; and an Internet site addressable from each of the plurality of initial user sites such that each initial user site can access a data acquisition and transmission program through the Internet site to enable the respective computer to process received signals from the respective data generating source and transmit responsive signals over the Internet. Each initial user site preferably can transmit simultaneously over the Internet to one or more recipient sites. Also, the receiving computer at a recipient site can receive and display in real time the signals from one or a multiple number of initial user sites.
A method of generating and transferring medical data in accordance with an aspect of the present invention comprises: transducing directly from a patient a human body function or condition into a first signal; converting at the site of the patient the first signal into a second signal adapted for transmission over the Internet; and transmitting the second signal over the Internet to a recipient. In one implementation the method further comprises performing the transducing, converting, and transmitting contemporaneously; and contemporaneously therewith generating at the recipient a display in response to the transmitted second signal, wherein the display is a real-time representation of the transduced human body function or condition.
A method of generating and transferring data in accordance with the present invention comprises: accessing an Internet site from a computer where a data generating source is located; downloading to the computer from the accessed Internet site a data acquisition and transmission program; and operating the computer with the downloaded data acquisition and transmission program such that the computer receives signals from the data generating source, processes the received signals, and transmits data signals onto the Internet in response thereto. In particular implementations, the downloaded program may or may not operate unless the computer is connected to the specific web site on the Internet from which the program was obtained.
A method of the present invention for generating medical data representative of a biological function or condition of an individual comprises:
(a) accessing an Internet site with a personal computer located with the individual, wherein the personal computer is programmed with a conventional operating program;
(b) downloading from the accessed Internet site to the personal computer a medical data acquisition program automatically operable with the conventional operating program;
(c) generating an acoustical signal in response to the biological function or condition of the individual;
(d) receiving the acoustical signal in a microphone near the individual and converting with the microphone the received acoustical signal into an analog electric signal;
(e) communicating the analog electric signal from the microphone to an analog to digital conversion circuit of the personal computer and converting thereby the analog electric signal to a digital electric signal;
(f) processing the digital electric signal in the personal computer under control of the medical data acquisition program; and
(g) displaying to the individual, through the personal computer, a representative of the individual""s biological function or condition in response to which the acoustical signal was generated.
As a step (h), responsive data can be transmitted over the Internet to other sites for storage and review. From such other site or sites, for example, data can then be transmitted over a paging or other wireless network to a physician; for example. In a preferred embodiment, at least steps (c) through (h) are performed together in real time.
Still another definition of a method of monitoring biological functions and conditions of a plurality of patients in accordance with the present invention comprises: distributing to each patient at least one sensor to detect at least one biological function or condition of the patient; and maintaining a medical data acquisition and transmission program at an Internet site accessible by the patients such that the patients can use, from computers at the locations of the patients, the medical data acquisition and transmission program to control their respective computers to receive and process signals from the patients"" respective sensors and to transmit medical data onto the Internet in response thereto. This method can further comprise distributing to a plurality to physicians receivers (with or without transmitting capability) for receiving at least portions of the medical data transmitted over the Internet. It can still further comprise providing a combination Internet receiving and paging or other wireless communication network transmitting site to receive the medical data transmitted on the Internet and to transmit received medical data to at least one respective physician""s receiver through the wireless network. The method can also comprise marking each sensor with indicia defining the address of the Internet site.